Black Forest Elf

Posted on Mon Sep 2nd, 2024 @ 8:37pm by Scott Summers & Bobby Drake & Jean Grey & Pietro Maximoff & Kurt Wagner

Mission: Episode 5: Days of Fortune Past
Location: Winzeldorf, Germany
Timeline: October 30, 1990

In the twilight hours, a sleek black jet descended silently into the dense Black Forest surrounding Winzeldorf. The soft hum of the Blackbird’s engines was barely audible as it hovered just above the treetops before making a precise, vertical landing in a secluded clearing. The four X-Factor members disembarked, their footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of pine needles.

Scott led the way down the ramp, his visor glinting faintly in the dim waning light. His posture was tense but purposeful as he paused to map out the safest route to the monastery. Things always looked differently from the ground than from the air.

Jean stood beside him. Her green eyes, glowing softly with power, scanned the surroundings, while her mind supplemented Scott's analysis with what he couldn't see.

Bobby followed closely, his usually playful demeanor subdued by the gravity of their mission. Small clouds billowed from his nostrils in the cool mountain air. He periodically glanced around, feeling uneasy in the ancient wood. “Spooky,” he said quietly.

Pietro lingered at the rear, his sharp eyes darting around with restless energy. His defection to X-Factor was still fresh, and he carried the weight of his sister's disappearance heavily. “If you're going to jump at shadows, you can stay in the jet.”

“I'm good.” Bobby frowned at the new guy but held his tongue. This Kurt Wagner dude might know how to find Wanda. That meant the world to Pietro and Bobby knew it.

The new visor Scott wore featured all the new designs that Reed had boasted. Large refractive lens with a frame half the size of his old clamshell visor struck an impressive sight. But after the first attempt in Reed's lab, it had taken some persuading before Scott agreed to use it in the field. Even though it had been proven at Alchemax Tower and the Mutant Pride March in Washington, D.C., he still was not entirely convinced. This was a mission of peace, so it was unlikely to be tested.

“Form up,” Scott said to them all as they left the locked down Blackbird behind them.

The team moved swiftly but silently through the forest, guided by the dim light of the setting sun. As they neared the outskirts of the Bavarian village of Winzeldorf, Scott raised his fist, a signal for them to halt. He crouched behind a large tree and peered out at the village, taking in the quaint, picturesque setting.

The monastery's bell tower stood visible in the distance, a stark silhouette against the darkening sky which crowned the tall rise on which the old monastery had been built. Its ancient, massive oaken doors and flagstones stood weathered against the ravages of time. On the far side was a barren hillside that left no cover whatsoever. Skirting the village would be the best approach.

~* ‘Vespers have just finished’ *~ Jean spoke in a soft voice despite the telepathic communication, the village and surrounding landscape was so peaceful and silent it seemed offensive to make too much noise in any form. She continued her mental scan of the immediate area and the inner sanctity of the monastery. ~* ‘They’re getting ready for dinner.’ *~

“Great, we’ve caught him between prayers.” Pietro’s words dripped with ridicule as he still hadn’t grown accustomed to the telepathy and he spoke out loud.

~* ‘They are silent during meals.’ *~ Jean chided Quicksilver with a tone of faint irritation that Scott and Bobby were both familiar with. ~* ‘Which means we need to be extra quiet if we don’t want to alert or upset anyone.’ *~

~ Whatever ~ Pietro folded his arms in childish irritation ~ It’s not like Kurt or his monk friends are going to be of any use. They’ll just try to convert us. ~

Jean chose to ignore Quicksilver’s peevish response. They were doing this for Wanda but despite the importance of the mission for him, Pietro still seemed to be sour about having to speak with Kurt. They had obviously parted on bad terms.

~* ‘He’s definitely in there.’ *~ Jean confirmed the mental signature that she had since learned was Kurt Wagner, he was sunlight through stained glass. She reminded all of them. ~* ‘He’s a teleporter so he has the potential to bolt when upset.’ *~ Jean scowled at Pietro
~* ‘Hence our quiet arrival, especially if he sees someone who he distrusts on his doorstep.’ *~

~* ‘Fifteen monks plus Kurt’ *~ Jean spoke to Scott directly ~* ‘Dining hall is in the northwest corner next to the garden. It’s their main meal of the day so all are present. But they will scatter in different directions afterwards, so if we don’t want to be spotted we should move quickly.’ *~

There they had it. Scott nodded at Jean’s survey of the operational area.

“On me, X-Factor.” He dashed forward, leading the team stack forward to the wall. “Iceman, make a ramp.”

Bobby nodded. Although he and Jean could take to the air, they had already planned on stealth. Sneaking over the wall was best. He put his hands forward and conjured a tiered stack of blocks that would allow for ease of climbing.

Taking the lead, Scott darted up the side of the wall, his steps sure despite the slippery ice blocks. He crept to the top and confirmed his landing before rolling over the edge. The ground rose up fast. Scott met it with a crouch and a grunt.

Nearby was an old stable that had been converted into extra storage. Scott dashed to the corner and knelt down into cover.

~Jean, have the team fan out~ Scott secured the immediate area and cleared it for the others to advance. ~ Let Quicksilver scout ahead but don't allow him to take too forward of a position~

Jean nodded her head in agreement and they all moved as instructed. Her telepathic relay of directions combined with whatever scans she had picked up in the area.

Despite Pietro’s irritated tone a few minutes ago, he fell into step with the rest of X-Factor and he followed Cyclops’ instructions. In a sleek blur of movement he moved ahead and scouted the immediate area.

~ It’s just a boring old church and a bunch of moldy books. ~ Pietro seemed unimpressed with what he found ~ Kurt is in the Scriptorium which is the building closest to Scott. ~

~* ‘Bobby, The door to your left. Four monks are going to exit through there.’ *~ Jean attempted to warn him so he could take cover before being spotted.

Bobby laid down a sheen of ice across the timeworn pavestones and then released it. A rolling fog came up off the ground, obscuring his slide and subsequent dive through the window to the abandoned stable. A mental sigh of relief passed through all of them as relayed through Jean’s telepathic overwatch.

That definitely presented a different dynamic for Scott. For years, it was Professor Xavier’s voice in their heads to guide their actions, give warnings to ambushes, and bring them all home. Today it was Jean filling that niche. While they had the Blackbird on loan, this was an X-Factor mission rather than an X-Men one. There was no doubt Xavier was watching from Cerebro, but it was hands-off. They were on their own and so far they were crushing it.

A smile played on Scott's lips. So far this was shooting fish in a barrel. He couldn’t have asked for an easier objective for the new team.

~I’m moving in through the first floor door and will make contact. Everyone, find secondary entry points and stay on guard. He can teleport away but we still don’t want any surprises~

While the others moved toward their new positions, Scott quietly opened the Scriptorium door and crept through it into the gloomy interior. He closed it as quietly as possible before moving forward. The lighting inside was even dimmer than the twilight outside. A single string of overhead light bulbs dangling from naked fixtures illuminated the path from the exterior door to the inner sanctum toward rows of long wooden tables, each polished to a deep sheen from centuries of use and cluttered with ancient manuscripts, scrolls, quills, and inkwells. Iron sconces and brass candelabras in need of lighting for the evening hung from the walls and vaulted ceiling, largely vestiges of earlier times in favor of the weak but convenient electric lighting.

At the far end of a distant table sat a lone monk, his sleeves rolled down and his hood covering his head. The only sign that gave away his identity was a slender tail weaving back and forth behind his back, the blue spade-shaped tip undulating in a serpentine motion.

~Visual on target~ Scott relayed to Jean. ~Moving to contact~

Each step was long and swift but silent. All that Scott disturbed were the colorful patterns cast onto the floor from the tall, narrow stained glass windows depicting saints and religious scenes overhead. When he was still several yards away, he called out gently.

“Kurt Wagner…” Scott said in a gentle but firm voice. “Don’t move. We come—”

As soon as Scott spoke, however, the monk jolted upright. “Es steht geschrieben,” he said in an exasperated voice. “‘Mein Haus soll ein Bethaus genannt werden; ihr aber habt eine Räuberhöhle daraus gemacht’."

Everything went black for Scott. For an instant, he thought he had been knocked unconscious. But when he blinked his eyes clear, he found himself in the middle of a sloping field. He looked up at the Monastery that sat at least a mile away. “—in peace…”

~Jean, I’ve been teleported outside. See if you can’t convince him of our intentions while I make my way back~

Scott felt what could only be described as ‘fussing’ from Jean in the shared space between them. ~* ‘As long as you’re alright… I’ll see what I can do.’ *~

Jean began to head towards the scriptorium when a strong breeze and the blur of Quicksilver moved past her.

“Hell no!” Pietro grumbled. He had heard the signature BAMF and knew exactly what game Kurt was playing and he had no time or patience for any of it. The yellow parchment and vellum books of the scriptorium scattered and fluttered in Pietro’s wake as he moved with alarming speed towards Kurt.

If there had been any goodwill between Kurt and the members of X-Factor, it was immediately doused when Kurt recognized who was speeding towards him.

“Knock it off, Kurt!” Pietro hissed as he made contact with his robe clad form. “We just want to talk!”

“Ja, I know vhere your kind of talk always leads, Herr Maximoff!”

That familiar blackness overcame Pietro as he was teleported multiple times to the point where the smell of brimstone filled his nose. Once it stopped, he found himself on the peak of a jagged mountain that looked down on Winzeldorf. The mountain terrain was jagged stone and slick ice that declined at a sharp degree, Pietro would definitely have to slow down to make it through this difficult terrain.

“God Damnit, Kurt!” Pietro shouted the ironic words as he began to scale the mountain front.

“Please, Mr. Wagner.” Jean watched as the robbed man reappeared. She attempted to reach out to him with empathy rather than physically. Her gentle presence and mild demeanor were palpable to Kurt, the feeling bought Jean a little more time “We mean no harm, we just want to talk about…”

“Tschüss, fraulein!”

Jean didn’t get to finish her sentence before Kurt reached out for her and the world went black. Jean found herself standing in the middle of a cow pasture with a herd of doe-eyed jerseys staring at her. “Wanda.”

~* ‘You’re in the monastery solo, Bobby.’*~ Jean located the bell tower and began to walk back, she was too worried about scaring the village with telekinetic flight ~* ‘He’s incredibly upset but he doesn’t seem intent on actually hurting any of us.’ *~

This guy wasn’t messing around, so neither was Bobby. Stealth had already been blown out the window. Bobby assumed his iceform and made ready for conflict. “Yo, furry elf! Slow your roll for a second!”

Learning his lesson from the others, Bobby didn’t stand still but put himself in motion. His ice sled went up and around the scriptorium tables, hoping to dodge and evade the teleporter.

Kurt BAMFed into position just behind Bobby and failed the grab. Rather than get upset, he let out a melodic chuckle. “Vade retro me, Satana!”

“Why’s everyone always speaking—” Bobby’s sentence was cut off by a blast of brimstone smoke. When it cleared, he was somewhere cold and moist. And then he was falling.

“—LAAATIIIIIIIIIIIIN?!!” His final word stretched out into a shout as he found himself in a free fall plummeting from the clouds straight to the ground.

Scott was huffing a little by the time he’d made it back to the monastery walls. The brother monks had become aware of the commotion, but so far they had huddled into the chapel and initiated impromptu prayers while Kurt had his way with the team. ~I’m back. Give me a sit-rep~

~* ‘It’s just Kurt back in the Scriptorium, all civilians are in the chapel. Pietro is on your 6 already. I’m moving through the village right now, I’ll be back in five minutes. Bobby is airborne but should arrive in less than ten minutes.’ *~ Jean gracefully ran through the uneven cobblestone streets of Winzeldorf. Moments like this were the exact reason why she trained without her powers so frequently.

~* ‘It appears he needs to touch you in order to teleport you. But he’s so agile. If you can avoid being caught you might be able to get a word in. I could restrain him telekinetically but that feels rather forceful so I would rather not.’ *~

“Do you know any Bible verses?” Pietro grumbled right next to Scott. “He always gets pensive when the magic man in the sky is mentioned.” It was more of a joke than an actual suggestion but religion had always been a sticking point for Pietro. “Let me work as a distraction for you and you can try and talk to him. Lead with Wanda and mention that she took the locket with her when she went missing.”

Scott nodded. “Two-pronged approach it is.” As they approached the scriptorium again, Scott wondered aloud, “I wonder why he is defending this building in particular. There must be something he’s protecting.”

~Jean, scan his mind when you’re able and see if you can determine if there’s something he doesn’t want us to find~ Scott opened the door and slid to a crouch behind the nearest table. ~He doesn’t want to leave this area as much as he doesn’t want us here~

“Round two, nightmare fuel!” Bobby came gliding through the door Scott had just entered on his ice slide with reckless abandon. Whatever strategy he might have developed in the five minutes of a free falling had been set aside when accelerated his descent on a steep angle ice slide. “Not gonna catch me twi—”

Kurt appeared out of thin air, grabbed Bobby at high speed, and vanished in the blink of an eye.

“Oh shit!” Bobby exclaimed as he flew into a pile of manure at high speed.

~Bobby’s out again~ Scott reported with a sigh. “Kurt! We are not here to fight you or steal anything! We just want—” He heard a noise behind him. Spinning on his heel and his hand rising to his visor, Scott hesitated in taking the shot. That would only undermine his entire appeal.

When the brimstone smoke cleared, Scott found himself in a dank cell underground. ~I’m not sure where I am. Some kind of prison. I’ll break out and head back momentarily~

~* ‘I don’t speak German.’ *~ Jean muttered as she neared the monastery. Kurt’s thoughts were agitated and moving quickly, they would have been a challenge to follow even in English. ~* ‘But I’ll keep listening and hopefully he’ll give me some mental pictures.’ *~

“If the books are important, then let’s make him squirm.” Pietro interjected as he began to increase his speed. The world slowed around him and he was free to cherry pick his heart’s desires from the frozen world around him. Shelf by shelf he began to rip the ancient scrolls and books from their housing before recklessly discarding them onto the floor as he moved to the next.

As Pietro picked up a leather bound book it was obvious it didn’t match amongst the sheep made vellum around it. Jean felt a mental outcry from Kurt as Pietro touched it.

~* That’s it!’ *~ Jean exclaimed to Pietro ~* ‘Don’t damage it’ *~

“Mr. Wagner, please!” Jean entered the Scriptorium as the standoff started. “We need to talk about Wanda.”

“Vhat do you know about…” Kurt’s head jerked away from Jean and looked at the utter shambles Pietro was making of his private alcove. “Nein! Pietro, I beg of you, stop vhat you are doing!”

A loud rumble from below shook the floor beneath them. ~I’m free of wherever he put me~ Scott’s thoughts whistled through Jean’s mind as he ran through the dark. ~These look like catacombs, so I should be somewhere below. I see a light ahead. I think it’s the exit. Speak if he’ll listen, otherwise everyone stand by to regroup~

~* ‘Are you blasting holes in the walls?’ *~ Jean commented on the noises coming from below. ~* ‘I’m going to talk to him now.’ *~

~Just a few stubborn locked doors~ Scott replied. ~Another flight of stairs…~

“For zhe love of God, please be careful with zhat!” Kurt’s three-fingered hands were outstretched in a desperate plea.

He teleported over to Pietro but made no attempt to BAMF him away yet. Whatever Pietro held in his hand was awfully important. It appeared Pietro was safe for the moment.

“He won’t damage it. Nothing will happen to your book.” Jean held out her hands in a defensive request for everyone to stop. “Isn’t that right, Pietro?”

“Oh I’ll be careful.” Quicksilver complied but the smirk on his face didn’t instill a lot of confidence.

“Mr. Wagner, I’m so sorry for this intrusion and the mess we’ve made.” Jean slowly maneuvered the room until she was looking at Kurt, his eyes were an eerie glowing yellow. She had seen them in Pietro’s memories but in person they were haunting. Jean continued to provide that faint empathetic warmth that her presence naturally provided but she made sure to focus on her honesty as she spoke.

“We’re looking for Wanda. We want to help find her and Pietro thinks you might know something.” She paused for a moment to let the sincerity of her words sink in. “When Wanda went missing, she took the locket with her.”

Mention of the locket gave Kurt pause. “Zhe kept it?” He paused to let out a gasp. “After all zhis time?”

Looking down at the stony floor, Kurt’s gasp released as a sigh. “Yet zhe did not tell me…” Kurt reached out his hands with tender care as if reaching for a baby. “If you give zhe book to me, I have zomesink to show you. I zhink it will zhed light on zhe matter.”

“Give him the book, Quicksilver.” Scott had returned, entering from a side door, and he was using his command tone.

“Yeah, sure.” Pietro faked his lackadaisical response. Cyclops would definitely back up his demand if pushed too hard. “I was always going to give it back to him.” He handed over the small leather bound book to Kurt before taking a few steps back.

“Hold on.” Jean looked around the room and the absolutely ransacked mess it was. With a few sweeping gestures of her hands and a faintly furrowed brow she telekinetically cleaned up the mess of documents and holy books that had been made. “They may not be in order but at least they aren’t all over the floor.”

It was a small gesture of goodwill towards Kurt, an apology for disrupting the sanctity of the monastery. Jean looked back at Kurt again. “Is there someplace we can sit and talk? And maybe let the poor brothers in the church know that everything is okay?”

“Ja… here is fine.” Kurt bamfed away for a moment. Soon the bell tower tolled three times, each clear peal echoing even inside the stone building. Before the third one faded, Kurt reappeared. “Now zhey know zhe coast is clear.”

Sitting down, Kurt gestured toward other seats at the long table before opening the leather bound tome. The pages were mismatched of different color, size, and even thickness.

“Zhis is a compendium of my search for Vanda over the last few months,” Kurt explained while he straightened the stack of sheafs. “It began as my journal of letters ve sent back and forsth to each osther. Zhe final letter I received from Vanda contained cryptic references zhat I did not understand at zhe time. It vas dated at zhe end of June.”

Kurt selected one of the papers and gently unfolded it. His glowing yellow eyes scanned each line until he found the one he wanted.

“Right here,” he said, holding it up. “Vanda mentioned a search for an Ancient One in a hidden city. At zhe time I did not realize zhe meant a person, but my research confirms almost certainly zhat vas her meaning. Since zhen I have scoured zhe globe looking for clues as to vhere zhis hidden city and zhe Ancient One who lives zhere could be. Before God I have no doubt that some evil befell her along her journey and I vill not rest until I find her.”

Pietro’s eyes narrowed over the news and research Kurt had shared with them. He didn’t like the idea of Kurt being so proactive in finding his twin. Sure, they had been teenage sweethearts during their time in the circus, but that relationship had ended when they left with Magneto and joined the Brotherhood. He knew that they had continued to write to one another over the years, but he had always gotten the impression from Wanda that the relationship was purely platonic. This didn’t feel like the actions of a man who was merely friends with Wanda.

Combined with the fact that Kurt had actually found some information about Wanda and it all added to Pietro being wrong.

He hated being wrong.

“The Ancient One was just some of that metaphysical nonsense that Wanda liked to read about. Like crystal balls and the Eye of Agamotto,” Pietro sneered. “There’s no way she would chase after such an outlandish concept.”

“Quicksilver, let him talk.” Jean chastised Pietro for his response. They had come here at his request. “We are all here to find Wanda. We’re here to help you find your sister.”

Jean leaned in and looked over all notes and papers that Kurt had collected and composed into a journal. His research and travels had been expansive. This wasn’t some dead end quest or halfhearted pursuit, Kurt had gone to great lengths to find anything possible about Wanda.

“What does it all mean?” Jean dared to touch what looked like a very old map. “It looks like a treasure hunt.”

Just as Kurt opened his mouth to speak, Bobby came hurtling into the room.

“Cowabunga!”

Eyes and fists aglow with blue shifting light, Bobby glided into battle with a vengeance.

“Stand down, Bobby!” ordered Scott, specifically dropping the codenames.

But Bobby wasn't listening. Cold fury covered his grim face. He wasn't going to let the teleporter get the better of him again.

“Stand down!” Scott repeated. Seeing no other choice, he loosed a faint optic blast into Bobby's chest.

Combined with the momentum of his attack, Bobby got knocked straight on his back with his feet in the air.

“Ow…” Bobby groaned.

“That was light.” Scott walked over and offered him a hand up. “Come on. Kurt was just filling us in on his search for Wanda.”

“Rad…” Bobby gasped for air but hobbled back over to the table with Scott.

“Go on, Kurt.” Scott gave him a nod.

Kurt just stared blankly. Who were these people? “Vanda has acquired some unusual friends…”

“My friends went missing not long before she did,” Scott offered. “Jean and Bobby here were among them. While Wanda wasn't present at their abduction, we can't help but suspect there may be a connection. That's why we're all working together. Find Wanda and we may find everyone.”

“I zee…” That made sense on the face of it. Kurt had been trying to reconcile the disparate personalities and came up empty until then. “If your goals are truly so noble, then perhaps ve can vork togesther.”

Kurt gingerly retrieved the map in Jean's possession and flipped it around. “Zhat is a copy shaded onto parchment from a thousand year old stone etching in Japan. It is ze first pictorial clue I have found for vhat ze earliest records call Kamar-Taj, ze city of ze Ancient One.” He looked on it with discouragement. “As you can zee for yourselves, it is not exactly clear. Zhose mountains could be anyvhere.”

Jean noticed how eager Kurt was to take the map away from her. She didn’t blame him for not trusting them, but even still, he was eager to believe them. Kurt wanted to see the best in people, including the group of mutants that invaded his home and wrecked his most prized possessions.

“I’d like to look at all your notes.” Jean knew it was a big ask of him. She frowned at her own request, already feeling the apprehension building inside of him. “Before you answer that, can I show you who we are? Can I better introduce you to us? I feel like if you knew us better you would be more inclined to talk to us about this.”

Kurt looked back and forth between them. Their association with Pietro notwithstanding, they seemed to be cut from a different cloth than Magneto's Brotherhood. “Are you going to say zhat you are ze missing adversaries Vanda mentioned in her letter? Ze ones she was verboten to search out. My heart already tells me zhat you are. Any adversary of Magneto is a friend of God, so…” Though it pained him to do, he nodded in agreement. “I vill trust you in honor of Vanda and in ze name of God. Show me vhat you vish.”

“Thank you, Kurt.” Jean got up from her seat across from him and sat down next to him. She lifted her hands and held them near the sides of his head, the close proximity helped her focus. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply to center herself before she telepathically shared a summary of who they were.

A brief movie played across his mind’s eye. A school in Westchester, New York where mutant children were raised in safety and privacy. The first class of students trained to use their mutant powers to help provide peace and co-existence between mutant and mankind. Years of the X-Men working together to save lives and prevent disasters and tragedy. Their destruction in Krakoa and the brutal torture Jean was subjected to. The slow return of the last members and the formation of X-Factor in New York City.

“Now you know who we are,” Jean said with a small smile as she lowered her hands to her lap. She was proud of their work and who they were. “Hopefully that helps you trust us a little more. Helps you understand why we want to help you find Wanda.”

The rush of images sent Kurt reeling for a moment. They weren't just thoughts or ideas, but memories of a lifetime spent in dedication to the betterment of others and defense of the world itself. He looked back and forth between everyone else there.

“You…zhat..truly?” Kurt's voice piqued with shock and surprise as the full implications were made.

Scott smirked at Jean. Not only did she have a way with words; her very soul was pure charisma. There was no touching her mind and coming away unchanged. ~Well done, my love. Looks like this is mission accomplished~

And then Kurt broke down sobbing. He held his face in his furry hands while he began to wrack uncontrollably.

Jean reached out and placed a hand on his back in an attempt to comfort him.

“Oh man,” Bobby said. “You broke him.” There wasn't mockery in his tone. He'd been broken with Jean recently himself.

“He cries about everything,” Pietro said with an apathetic rolling of his eyes

“Bobby…Pietro...” Scott said in a warning tone, still not appreciating their terse quip.

“Nein…” Kurt managed to say. After wiping his eyes, he looked up and shook his head, repeating, “Nein.” He took a deep sniff and explained himself. “I hef been praying for God to help me in my search for Vanda. Ze vorld is so vast, it is like searching for ze needle in ze haystack. Vhat I vas hoping for vas maybe some divine visdom or an epiphany, but I see now God sent me an entire group of people also searching for Vanda.”

He paused long enough to teleport to each person's side and grasp their hand in both of his before returning to see seat.

“Our meeting vas Providence. It can be no other. I resisted you as bandits or Magneto's enforcers responding to…” Kurt chuckled in embarrassment. “Never mind zhat. It vas not my finest hour.”

“You ruined that Asteroid M immigration center!” Pietro folded his arms across his as he scoffed. “Shouting in German and wrecking the place. You terrified those poor people.”

“Quicksilver.” While Jean was nowhere near as abrasive as Scott, she still chided his interjection. “We all have our moments, I’m sure there’s an explanation for it.”

Kurt was sweet and kind, his faith created such hope and unconditional love inside of him. Jean had a gentle soul and she found that similar benevolence in Kurt, it was refreshing to feel that inside of someone else.

Having first turned morose and then giddy, Kurt finally seemed to have turned an even keel. “If you hef come to invite me to join your efforts, my answer is ja. I vill go wisth you.”

“We’re based in New York.” Jean had shown him the peaceful school and the Baxter Building. “Are you sure you’re comfortable with leaving the monastery and your brothers?”

She knew what this place meant to him, what solace it provided for him. Jean wanted to make sure he was comfortable with leaving them.

“Kurt in New York City!?” Pietro sneered. “You think that simple peasants in the countryside calling you a demon was bad, what until you try walking the streets with the MRA in effect. They’ll stone you to death.”

“I did not realize zhat New York has implemented biblical punishments,” Kurt said tongue-in-cheek, doing his best to shrug off the harsh tone. “But Pietro raises a good point about zhe Monastery. My presence has always caused tension wisth Vinzeldorf. If I am gone, ze townsfolk and ze monks here can no longer be at odds. Truly my brosther monks may be better off wisthout me here.”

Kurt closed his scrapbook journal with care and sighed deeply. “Give me a few moments to say auf Wiedersehen and zhen I vill join you at ze gates.”

“Very well,” Scott said with an affirming nod. “Would you care for any help? Personal belongings, luggage?”

“Nein…” Kurt shook his head again. “I took a vow of poverty and own next to nosthing. Vhen I leave zhis place, I vill be traveling light.”

“I think you should meet our mentor, Professor Charles Xavier. I also think the mansion would be a better fit for you, Kurt.” Jean said as she stood up and began to make her way towards the door. “The students are kind and inquisitive but most of all you will have anonymity there. Our dear friend is also blue and covered in fur and he has no issues at the school, all are welcomed there.”

“No, thank you.” Pietro replied a little too quickly. “I’ll see myself back to the city once we’re stateside.”

If Kurt needed another reason to stay at the school over the Baxter Building, Pietro’s disgust for the property made it all the more appealing. Their relationship was tense and would probably remain so until Wanda was discovered. Her absence seemed to strain things.

Jean took her place next to Scott where she noticed a strand of cobwebs stuck to his hair and visor. She reached out and cleared them away with a different type of smile on her face. Kurt knew that look of fondness and when Scott briefly grinned at her, he could see that the feeling was mutual. It was a brief glimpse into who they were outside of the uniforms. But it was a reminder that those feelings could be found and maintained, that maybe his love for Wanda wasn’t hopeless.

“So…” Bobby began a little coy but went full steam with his questions. “Do we have to walk all the way back to the Blackbird?”

“Blackbird?” Kurt furrowed his furry brow.

“Our jet,” Scott explained.

“Ah,” Kurt said with a chuckle. “If it is nearby, zhen I can take us all to it in a single hop.”

“No thanks.” Pietro was gone in a flash.

“I'll, uh, take you up on that,” Bobby said.

“We’ll walk.” Jean took Scott’s hand and gently squeezed it. “Bobby will wait here, and get you settled in the jet. We’ll start walking now.”

Scott gave a wry chuckle. ~Finally. Our first win~

~* ‘More than a first win.’ *~ Jean glanced back at Kurt before they exited ~* ‘A new friendship.’ *~